Honda Urban EV electric car interior shown in official image

Honda’s Urban EV concept stole the show at Frankfurt in 2017. Following on from our first official glimpse of the ‘close to production’ prototype in an official sketch, a further teaser has shown us the interior layout before its full reveal at March’s Geneva Motor Show.

Hondas gloomy cabin image can be brightened in photo editiing software to give us a completely clear image of the Urban EVs radical dashboard layout. Quite unlike any current production Honda, it features five screens mounted side-byside along the top of the dash. The three central displays show driving, infotainment and charge information, while the pair on either side display information from rear-view cameras, taking the place of conventional door mirrors.

• Best electric cars on sale

The overall look takes a minamilist theme, with a shelf-like wood panel running below the screens in one, continuous sweep. The quirky twin-spoke steering wheel is unique to the Urban EV, while its refreshing to see that, despite the display-heavy layout, there still appears to be physical swtiches to control the heating and ventilation system.

While weve only previously seen the front of the protype courtesy of a teaser sketch, a digital image of the cars profile is shown on the cars digital display. It confirms that, unlike the original concept, the protoype will feature a five-door body. However, the concepts contrasting floating roof looks set to feature still, and the charge port sits within the black pannel in the centre of the bonnet.

Elsewhere, a previous teaser sketch has shown us that the overall look of the prototype will be that of a toned-down version of the original concept. The likes of round headlamps, wing-mounted cameras and bonnet bulge remain, but the concept’s squared off nose and thin pillars have also been replaced by more rounded, bulkier units, likely in the interest of crash safety.

The body of the prototype, although wider than the spied test mule, is narrower than the original concept. The ride-height also appears to have been raised. However, Honda’s official prototype image indicates that the production model could bear the concept’s quirky LED headlamps.

Honda hasn’t revealed battery output, power figures or performance data for its latest EV, nor is there any detail on prospective range or charge times. However, given its intended use, we expect a modest 200-mile range, mated to the latest fast-charge technology.

The original concept’s dinky exterior styling was reminiscent of the original seventies Honda Civic, while its interior was unlike anything we’ve seen from Honda before, with a minimalist design and huge dash-spanning central screen.

The 2017 Honda Urban EV concept also hinted at the future of Honda design. The backlit blue logo is supposed to appear on each of the company’s forthcoming EVs, for example, and the interactive screen between the headlights can display messages, such as charging status updates and greetings to other road users.

What are your thoughts on the latest Honda Urban EV prototype image? Let us know in the comments section below…